POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Philadelphia 76ers

Felipe M

Had a good, but very long conversation about the future of the NBA with fellow basketball fan, and diehard New York Knicks' fan, Hasan R.  The following is our thoughts on the state of the Philadelphia 76ers

Felipe: I've always like the 76ers, but they're always missing something, I'm just not sure what exactly that is.  But they have up-and-comers JrueHoliday and Evan Turner.  They also have some good talent with guys like Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen to a lesser extent.  Not sure what Jason Richardson can still bring for next season.  However, they’re getting a new coach and already have a President/GM in Sam Hinkie (formerly of the Houston Rockets). So I think Philly’s arrow is pointing up.

Hasan: Totally counted out the 76ers, but you reminded me a lot of what makes them a threat going forward.  This year was the first in a rebuilding phase anyway with Andre Iguodala gone and if Andrew Bynum actually plays for the 76ers, they have a lethal team.  Not exactly NBA championship caliber, but one that is setting itself up with a good core that should hit its stride in late 2014/early 2015.  If they can draft a wing player in the mold of Iguodala, this could be a lethal team. 

Felipe: Technically, the 76ers have been rebuilding for a few years now.  Yes, they have made the playoffs, but haven’t had a winning season since 2004-05.  And I really don’t see Bynum ever suiting up for Philly and they would have to be absolutely desperate to want him this bad.  I have to question his heart and his degenerative knees.  And the 76ers didn’t do much when they had Iguodala with the team so I doubt getting another player in that mold will help much.  I would actually suggest getting a big man (maybe a guy like Cody Zeller as his stock seems to be dropping) would prove to be helpful, but then again, it depends what kind of coach they will hire.

Hasan: They have most definitely been rebuilding for a few years and sadly this last season was a lost one.  I understand your concern with Bynum, but my above idea for Philly was that they DO manage to re-sign Bynum, and that he suits up and then you've got the 76ers vying for a dynamic wing to pair up with Evan Turner. Then hopefully get some veteran presence and they may even be able to compete for a low playoff seed this upcoming season.  

That being said, let's think about what happens if they fail to retain Bynum.  Not only does that Bynum trade look absolutely horrific in retrospect (not like the trade didn't look bad enough when it was made), but it also means that it's time to tear it all down. If Bynum is gone the most likely draft pick for them would be Cody Zeller or even Kelly Olynyk.  That also makes their second round picks extremely valuable because the best way to rebuild is through the draft.

Sadly, it is a bit tough to really judge this team without a basketball coach because we still aren't too sure about the style of play they will employ. Holding out against hope that they manage to re-sign Bynum and go ahead with my earlier idea, if only for the sheer fun it would be to watch Bynum and Holiday play together. 

Felipe: At least we agree on the 76ers needing a new coach in order for us to gauge which direction they will go in terms of personnel.  I definitely have to disagree with you on Andrew Bynum.  His best days are behind him and I just don’t see him wanting to stay in Philly and Philly would do itself a favor by looking elsewhere to start another rebuilding project.  Luckily for them, their new GM is a statistical analytics guy and hopefully, that will make him see that re-signing Bynum will prove to be a mistake.

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HURRICANE COMING! How did the 'Canes move up to #2 in the Country?

THE U!

Johnny J

The Miami Hurricanes have done the unthinkable this season. They have beaten the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels by more than 25 points at home. They are currently ranked number two in the nation, with a record of 21-3 and a perfect 12-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, after slipping past Clemson yesterday 45-43 (Looks more like a football score than a basketball score--Ed). They were never ranked higher than eighth, until this season. Not bad for a team that started the season unranked.



Hurricane fans Rob and fiance Erin

Clemson has always been a tough place to play and yesterday the Tigers proved it. The Tigers held the Hurricanes to just 18 points at halftime and a combined seven free throw attempts for the game. 45 points is the Hurricanes lowest points outing of the season. The Hurricanes star senior, Kenny Kadji, hit the go-ahead three pointer over Clemson.

"We're going to fight until the clock is finished," Kadji said. "That's something coach always tells us. You want to play hard and try to win."

At 6'11" Kadji is more of a wing player than a post-up player. With his ability to shoot, Kadji stretches the floor, which opens the hole for driving teammates. He is third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding. He is projected to go in the second round of the NBA Draft.


The Hurricanes are dominating with seasoned veterans.  They have a total of nine juniors and seniors on their team. They have four players who average points in double figures and the highest is only 14.0 PPG, by senior guard Durand Scott. That tells me this is a team to be reckoned with because of their depth.  You take the ball out of one person's hand and somebody else steps up. With this team not scoring a lot of points, you wouldn't think this team would have won 13 games in a row. They haven't lost since Christmas (Those pesky Indiana State Sycamores--Ed)!

“I don’t think it’s anything we do,” guard Shane Larkin said. “I just think we stay poised and play our game."

 Here's why they win games. They're shooting at 46% from the field as a team. That shows they take good shots consistently. Here's how ESPN has them ranked across the board with the rest of the country:

Points/Game    Rebs/Game     Assts/Game     Field Goal%  

128th at 69.5   106th at 36.4   258th at 11.6    54th at .460     

Hurricane fan giving their team a thumbs up

Sharing the ball is not really their forte, its more of shooting at a high percentage each time. They ranked near the top 50 in one category, but it may be the most important in my eyes. Everyone on the team is a shooter and if they're not, they make a great number of shots around the basket. If their shooting becomes better each game, they will be a handful come tournament time.  Throw in a team with veteran moxie and this team becomes a real threat in the post-season.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were a #1 seed. This wouldn't be a Cinderella team come March Madness time because everyone knows about them now, but they have been all season, especially in the ACC. Even though I'm a big North Carolina fan, it doesn't look like they can compete. So why not root for the team that just came out of nowhere? The Hurricanes have never won a NCAA Tournament game, let alone making an appearance in the Final Four. So hey, if North Carolina falls, let's make history 'Canes nation!

All photos courtesy of Rob Collins.

For more on the NCAA, click here.

SACRAMENTO KINGS: A Fan's Perspective: Part II

One of the last home games for the Kings in the city of Sacramento?
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

Josh C

Josh C continues his rant about his favorite team, the Sacramento Kings.  Part I can be read, here.

As explained earlier, an NBA team needs a difference maker to build their team around and contend for championships.  The Sacramento Kings had their difference maker in Chris Webber.  Yes, the Kings were bold in trading for a player that did not want anything to do with playing in Sacramento, but the gamble eventually paid off.  Since Webber has left, the Kings have been trying to fix the club by way of short-term, quick fixes rather than rebuild.  The most glaring example of management’s stubbornness in placing a full-fledged, rebuilding plan came in the 2006 NBA DRAFT.

Webber was gone, the team’s window for a title had closed, and it was time to find an heir apparent to point guard, Mike Bibby. I understand that it was weak draft, but at #19, there were some nice, long-term projects you can gamble on.  Players available at that spot:

• Rajon Rondo
• Marcus Williams
• Kyle Lowry
• Shannon Brown
• Jordan Farmar
• Sergio Rodriguez 

And what do the Kings do?  They select Quincy “bleeping!” Douby! QUINCY DOUBY!!! I still remember that night like it was yesterday: the Kings had the opportunity to pick up a young point guard and Geoff Petrie and Co. picks Douby who is nowhere near the point guard prospect that the other players are.  I was so enraged by the selection that I started to curse Petrie and Douby’s name at the top of my lungs and proceeded to throw an empty plastic cup at the TV.  I still haven’t gotten over it! (For those that don’t know, Douby was scouted as a defensive liability, a combo guard who would best be used as a scoring option rather than a point guard, was given a ZERO in the passing and ball handling variables coming into the 2006 NBA DRAFT—Ed).

But all of these moves since Webber and Bibby have left are nothing compared to what they did in the 2011 NBA DRAFT.  At first, I was drinking the Jimmer Kool-Aid as I was singing the praises of Jimmer Fredette.  But after awhile, after the Jimmer Kool-Aid started to wear out, even after drinking high doses of the stuff, I’m finally coming to the sad realization that Jimmer might have been a mistake—at least for this team.  See, I still believe Jimmer can be a legit, productive pro; just not with the Kings.  He will only achieve success in the NBA with a real, professional team.  The pick would not be so bad if it wasn’t for the fact that the Maloofs, essentially, forced Petrie to trade for the draft rights of Jimmer and also bring in veterans that did not fit well with this team (see John Salmons).  

The Maloofs have been crying poor in the last few years or so and clearly this acquisition was done in anticipation that the cult following Jimmer effectuated in college, would streamline into the NBA by bringing more fans into the arena and help bring in more money.  Financially, the move did pay off as Jimmer’s #7 jersey boosted Kings’ jersey sales to new, astronomical figures.

I often wonder how many terrible, front office, transactions can be attributed to the Maloofs.  And then I realized that ESPN ranked the Sacramento Kings as the penultimate, worst franchise in the FOUR MAJOR SPORTS in the U.S. and Canada.  The Charlotte Bobcats are ranked ahead of the Kings.  Are you kidding me?  And as stated earlier, the Kings are one of two teams (the other being the Minnesota Timberwolves) who have not made the playoffs since 2005-06.  And I haven’t even mentioned their disservice to the city of Sacramento with their aggressive pursuit of a new stadium, threats of relocation, and selling the team with the potential, inevitable move to Seattle.  

There’s no team in sports that I’ve ever been nearly as passionate about as the Kings.  No team in sports continues to scorn me and has made me throw things in ongoing, raging frustration because of terrible ownership and management decisions.  As you can see, I’m a die-hard Kings’ fan as long as they remain in "Swerve City", but at this juncture of the franchise’s history, perhaps radical changes are needed.  Even if it means my favorite team moves on.  It will at least give me the opportunity to move on myself.

Hello Golden State Warriors, my name is Josh and I am in the market as a free-agent fan and looking to take my talents to a new NBA team...

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For some reason, we have a lot of content regarding the Sacramento Kings.

SACRAMENTO KINGS: A Fan's Perspective: Part I

The only way to watch a Sacramento Kings' game is with a few of these.
(photo courtesy of Josh Chiaratti)

Josh C

After seeing a RealGM feature on Team Roster Composition where the Detroit Pistons tallied 11 players acquired via the NBA DRAFT, disgruntled Sacramento Kings’ fan, Josh C. unleashed yet another, passionate rant on his favorite NBA team.  This is him attempting to keep his emotions in check and sharing why being a Kings’ fan was frustrating enough before the team was sold to a group out of Seattle--Ed

The Detroit Pistons have 11 players on their roster that were acquired via the draft.  Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn't matter how many draftees you have.  It matters how many difference makers you acquire.  In the right NBA market, all it takes is drafting one difference maker and that difference maker (along with a strong organization and a bit of luck) can bring in the difference making free agents needed to compete for a title.  So even though the Pistons have drafted 11 players that are good enough to remain on their roster, none of them could be considered difference makers.  Only three players were lottery picks:

• Andre Drummond
• Brandon Knight
• Greg Monroe

The Pistons have some nice players and they have developed solid players; none of those players will be taking the Pistons to the next level any time soon.  Detroit is in a sort of NBA Purgatory: mediocre enough to not get a high pick in the NBA DRAFT, but still bad enough to not be playoff contenders.  So a team can rack up as many 1^st round picks as they want, but mid-lottery picks aren't going to get you over the hump. 

Why am I so confident about my statements about the Pistons?  Let’s just say I speak from experience.  20 or so years of watching losing season after losing season and watching most of those teams be good enough to be nothing more than an ordinary squad, but not terrible enough to get a high, lottery pick--that kind of experience.  I’m talking about the Sacramento Kings.

How does one start to strategically vent his 20, or so, years of frustration into writing.  Well, let’s look at the roster:

• 7 Players selected via the Draft
• 1 Player acquired via Draft Rights’ Trade
• 3 Acquired via trade
• 3 Signed Free Agents

It should be noted that the Kings would have more players “Acquired via Draft” if it wasn’t for the fact that the team’s front office basically “sold” away 2^nd round picks for practically nothing.  Also, those drafted players are—you guessed it—not difference makers.  Yes, there are 5 lottery picks:

• DeMarcus Cousins
• Tyreke Evans
• Thomas Robinson
• Jason Thompson
• Jimmer Fredette

But all of those players have proven to not be key, cornerstone, anchored, franchise players that every good title contender needs.  Yes, Cousins might be that guy, but his volatility and immaturity downgrades him in the grand scheme of things.  Would you want your franchise to build their title hopes around Cousins?  Heck, even the Pistons aren’t interested in Cousins!  So we have some up-and-coming talent, but they’re not players who will put any team, let alone the Kings, over the hump.  They’re not difference makers.

It’s bad enough that our collection of drafted players are not good enough, but then GM Geoff Petrie decides that it would be a splendid idea to lock in mediocre veterans to go along with incompetent draftees.  This creates a less flexible, more expensive, subpar, pedestrian, and uninspired team. 

I’m talking about players like Marcus Thornton. Thornton was basically, at best, a Sixth Man, spark plug off the bench.  He finished the 2011 season strong.  And then the Kings do the unthinkable and sign him to a 4 year, $33 million contract.  Really--$33 million for Marcus “freakin” Thornton?

Then there was Chuck Hayes.  The Kings had offered him a four year contract. A long-term deal for Hayes?  That’s inexplicable!  However, the Kings were saved because Hayes failed a physical due to heart problems.  So the Kings saved themselves from a $21.3 million salary cap nightmare.  All is good!  WRONG!!!  After further evaluations, Hayes is cleared to play and not only do the Kings offer him the same four years as originally intended, but they offer him more money!  What is going on here?

But the final blow to the head comes in the shape of John Salmons: a player the Kings were all too thrilled to be rid of the first time around, somehow makes his way back to the team (more on that later). 

And these are just a handful of trades and free agent signings that have plagued the Maloofs and the Kings in the last seven years or so (The Kings are one of two teams since 2005-06 to not make the NBA playoffs—Ed).  But it wasn't always like this.  At one point under the Maloofs, the Kings were good at developing talent, fighting the Los Angeles Lakers for titles, hiring great leadership that signed and traded for amazing talent.  

So what happened?

Part II of the story is available here.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEVELOPMENT vs ONE & DONE

Johnny J

(Johnny is a die-hard UNC fan, but he's not liking the new landscape that some schools have manicured in today's NCAA and he explains his reasoning in this article).
   
North Carolina basketball has been known to win championships because of  good recruiting and players willing to stay in school and willing to be developed in college. So when a prestigious school like the Tar Heels have a reputation to protect as a great basketball school, what happens when other schools seem more desirable for top recruits to attend?

Kids coming out of high school are looking at how to get into the pro game as quickly as possible and one coach is bringing in these kids with the idea of "One and Done," (For those that don't know, it's the idea of a basketball player attending the required one year of college before bolting to start his/her professional career--Ed) is ok at Kentucky. Schools like North Carolina who mark their reputation on developing kids may soon be scratched off their list.

"If you're a player that wants to win and that's looking to get on to the next level, Kentucky is the place." explained Derrick Rose, "Getting guys to the next level; [Calipari's] resume speaks for itself." Rose is just one of many players who was coached by John Calipari and later went on to become the number 1 pick overall in the 2008 draft.

Other players that Calipari has coached only to see them leave after one year of college ball are:

• Derrick Rose,# 1 pick overall  & rookie of the year in 2009. ( 1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• Tyreke Evans. 5th pick overall & rookie of the year in 2010. (1 year at Memphis under Calipari)
• John Wall, # 1 pick overall & rookie of the year in 2011. (1 year at Kentucky)
• DeMarcus Cousins, 5th overall pick in 2010. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Enes Kanter, 3rd overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Brandon Knight, 8th overall pick in 2011. ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Anthony Davis # 1 overall pick in 2012) ( 1 year at Kentucky)
• Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 2nd pick overall in 2012. ( 1 year at Kentucky)

With a reputation of getting college players drafted in the top 10 of the NBA Draft, how can a school like North Carolina compete? I mean their record this year speaks for itself. The Tar Heels started the season ranked 11th in the nation, but with 3 losses in 7 games, (two to non-ranked opponents) the Heels dropped out of the top-25 and are currently sitting at 13-5. With a win last night over Georgia Tech, the Heels are 3-2 in there Atlantic Coast Conference.

There is a reason for the recent down-fall for the way North Carolina is playing. They lost four good key players to the draft last year, all of them being 1st round picks:

• Kendall Marshall (Soph)  
• Harrison Barnes (Soph)  
• Ty Zeller (Sr) 
• John Henson (Jr.)

The last time North Carolina Won the NCAA Championship was back in the 2009-10 season when they had a team that played with each other for 3-4 years. Players such as:

• Ty Lawson (Jr.) 
• Tyler Hansbrough ( Sr.) 
• Wayne Ellington (Jr.) 
• Danny Green (Sr.)

All of them are still playing in the NBA today, but schools like North Carolina need students to stay more than one year to help build a high-caliber team. A school like Kentucky is thriving off of "One and Done" and even won the NCAA Championship as recently as last year using this paradigm. They're getting the best recruits for that same reason. Freshman center Nerlens Noel from Kentucky is already projected to go # 4 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft and his draft stock can go up or down depending on how he plays this season.  Schools that need kids to develop, need to jump on board if they want to continue having some dominance in the NCAA, or they won't last long as a top-ranked, basketball school.

Personally, as much as "One and Done" sounds good for a program and player, I still prefer to be a fan of a program that wants to recruit players that want to be developed and leave a legacy behind in college. I want my program to win as much as possible and get better in the process. Recruits need to learn that they are able to do that at a good school and with a good coach. I also want to see players who want to graduate with their classmates. People sometimes leave and come back to finish school, but I don't understand why these players wouldn't want to get it out the way early on in their life! What happens if a particular player does get drafted, but ends up riding the pine in the NBA because his game is not fully developed?  Or if said player does want to go back and finish his degree, but for whatever reason, the opportunity is no longer there for him to go back to school?  If I were a player, my thought process would be, "the NBA will always be there and I will declare myself draft eligible when I'm good and ready!"

North Carolina is my favorite team and it hurts to see them not be considered as a top-25 ranked team so far this season. I'm hoping things will change-- for the long-run. I like schools that develop players, but these schools need to get the message out: " One and Done" is not always the best way! 

Patience plays a big part in everything that we do as people. I appreciate schools who try to improve young ball players' lives and to become better men and not just solely develop their basketball skills and talents. Sometimes, choosing the long path is the better decision as opposed to the short one.

(As of today's publishing of this article, UNC holds a 13-5 overall record, 3-2 in the ACC and their next game is at #18th ranked NC State.  UNC is the #13th best scoring team in the nation and #1 in rebounding.  Plenty of basketball left for UNC to right the ship...

...Kentucky, on the other hand, holds a 12-6 overall record, 3-2 in the SEC with their next game coming up against unranked LSU.  Kentucky is ranked #35 and #31 in points per game and rebounding in the country.  Perhaps "One and Done" is finally catching up to Calipari--Ed)

For more on basketball, click here.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF: Tyreke Evans

Felipe M

BACKGROUND--IN THE BEGINNING: When former Memphis Tigers' combo guard Tyreke Evans was selected #4 overall in the 2009 NBA draft, it was at the apex of youth basketball developing explosively quick, fast, strong, and athletic guards who can play both point and shooting guard positions at a moment's notice and the NBA's willingness to eagerly acquire these players.  The 2008 NBA draft, saw a plethora of talent at this hybrid position as 5 out of the 11 first picks of that draft were players that fit that mold of the super-fast, score-at-will guards, including future league MVP, Derrick Rose. 

HITTING THE BIG TIME: Evans became just the 4th rookie player in NBA history to score 20 points per game, and have 5 rebounds and assists per game, joining a very exclusive class of players who achieved that feat in their first year in the NBA--Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James.  There were even arguments that Evans might be better than Rose given his size and athleticism.  Already in his 3rd season however, and Evans' production seems to be decreasing, his basketball IQ is somewhat mediocre, and the lofty expectations that were bestowed upon him and the rest of his young teammates in Sacramento are not even close to being met.  

THE ISSUES--THE BAD: So what has been the biggest problem for this promising, but dwindling superstar?  Well, for starters, one can look at his Pre-Draft Scouting Report and see that the question marks about his game back then, are still prevalent in his third season as a pro:

• Ball-handling skills makes one believe he can be a successful point guard, but prefers to play shooting guard--but he's a player that needs to have the ball in his hands, at all times, to be successful.
• Loves playing a fast pace of basketball where he doesn't have to worry about calling plays.
• Prefers playing in a system where isolation plays are designed for him.
• His shot is still questionable, bounded by an even worse outside shot. 
• Could be careless with the ball and does not distribute the ball enough to his teammates.

To reiterate, these are the same issues that scouts had with Evans' game that pundits are still bringing up about him to this day!  Suddenly, Evans goes from being a match-up problem at the point guard position, to being labeled a tweener in the backcourt--does not possess the court awareness to be a point guard, nor the shooting touch to be a shooting guard.

THE ISSUES--THE GOOD: Supporters of Evans will argue that despite these flaws in his game, he still has immense potential that has not been successfully tapped by an inept Sacramento Kings' franchise who: 

• Lack veteran leadership on the roster.
• Have drafted and/or acquired other young projects such as Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson, Donte Greene who cannot be trusted to play heavy minutes.
• Seemingly overstocking on similar-playing guards seemed to have hurt Evans' production having to share the ball in the backcourt with John Salmons, Jimmer Fredette, and Marcus Thornton (though Thornton proved late last season that he can complement Evans the best in the backcourt).
• Only has another player on the current roster who can match Evans' talent in the gifted, but enigmatic DeMarcus Cousins (also a former John Calipari coached player in college).
• Former coach Paul Westphal did not utilize Evans to the best of his abilities.

A coaching change was being begged by Evans' and Kings' fans alike with the team finally firing Paul Westphal and replacing him with Keith Smart.  Evans has seen his scoring go from 14.29/game to 19.11/game with Smart.  His rebound and assists have also seen a slight increase as well since the coaching change.  However, the team still has a losing record despite the coaching change, going 2-4 under Smart, heretofore.  

IN CONCLUSION: Tyreke Evans is still a highly gifted player with the talent and athleticism to be a superstar hybrid player in the mold of Derrick Rose: A player that can score at will from the point guard position AND create plays for others.  However, as his athleticism goes down and refuses to develop his point guard skills, learn that you don't always have to possess the ball for a majority of the time to be a dominant player, or improve his outside shot, Evans will become just another average player in the NBA.  

Pathological Hate will like to thank Dan Plotsky for contributing to this article.

To look back at the 2011 NBA DRAFT, click here.

To look back at the 2008 NBA DRAFT, click here.